I have some good news about the KMEA Fund. We participated in the Greater Salina Community Foundation's Match Madness and did well! We had eight families donate $2,197.50 and had it matched with $902.00 for a total addition $3,099.50 to our Fund total. Realizing a 41% bump to our donations because of the Match is very special. The donors were Elaine Bernstorf, Deborah & John Divine, Dana Hamant, Gayle & Jane McMillen, Tim & Jean Ney, John & Holly Taylor, Marc Webster, and Mark & Shirley Wiebe. The gifts ranged from $25 and up, each gift contributing to the total.

We now have a total of over $81,000 in the KMEA Fund, enough to fully underwrite our existing scholarships and start developing new scholarships or grants. Your KMEA Board is assigning a committee that will be developing guidelines for application and rewarding future grants. What an exciting time!

I hope that when the next ISW rolls around, I can have a fistful of checks from all around the state to take advantage of that upcoming Match Madness. Of course, you aren't limited to donating just in February. Feel free to send a check designated for the KMEA Fund to John Taylor, 614 N. Parkdale, Wichita, KS, 67212, at any time. If we all pitch in and support the KMEA Fund, we can even better serve Kansas' music students.